*Chicago, IL (September 9, 2020) – NBC Sports Chicago has announced its multi-platform coverage lineup for the upcoming 2020 Chicago Bears season featuring the return of Football Aftershow following every Bears game featuring host David Kaplan and Bears legends Lance Briggs, Alex Brown and Olin Kreutz, along with the return of Primetime Preview airing prior to every Bears primetime game, expanded 24/7 Bears digital coverage via the NEW NBCSportsChicago.com and the “MyTeams by NBC Sports” app, plus - new episodes of the popular “Under Center” podcast and much more. (NOTE: Fans located anywhere in the U.S. can download MyTeams for free on iOS and Android devices in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.) Please note NBC Sports Chicago’s line-up of Bears and additional pro football-related programming/coverage for the upcoming 2020 season:
GAME DAY PROGRAMMING…
FOOTBALL AFTERSHOW presented by St. Xavier University – Immediately following the Chicago Bears 2020 NFL season opener against the longtime rival Detroit Lions on Sunday, September 13, NBC Sports Chicago will deliver the season debut of its acclaimed LIVE Bears game day wrap-up program Football Aftershow presented by St. Xavier University (3:00 PM CT, time approx. on NBC Sports Chicago+) from the network’s brand new, 4,100 sq. ft. studio facilities. The 90-minute show, which will immediately follow EVERY Bears game this season, is hosted by NBC Sports Chicago’s David Kaplan (@thekapman) and features a panel of Bears/NFL experts including former Bears linebacker/seven-time Pro Bowler Lance Briggs (@LanceBriggs), former Bears defensive end standout Alex Brown (@alexbrown96) and six-time Pro Bowl former Bears center Olin Kreutz (@olin_kreutz). In addition to the spirited banter from the stars of the show, Football Aftershow also showcases post-game press conferences with coaches and players from both teams, plus NBC Sports Chicago’s Bears “Insider” JJ Stankevitz (@JJStankevitz) will also provide post-game commentary. NOTES: Football Aftershow will also stream live to authenticated NBC Sports Chicago subscribers via NBCSportsChicago.com and the “MyTeams by NBC Sports” app; re-airs of Football Aftershow can also be seen on NBC Sports Chicago regularly throughout the season on Sunday nights and Monday afternoons.
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PRIMETIME PRESHOW – Prior to every Bears primetime game this season, fans will be provided with the very latest game night team/player news, match-up breakdowns, game predictions and more on Primetime Preshow. Hosted by Kaplan, along with analysts Briggs, Brown and Kreutz, Primetime Preshow will lead into Bears games on the following primetime game nights: Thu, Oct. 8 vs. Tampa Bay, Mon, Oct. 26 at LA Rams, Mon, Nov. 16 vs. Minnesota and Sun, Nov. 29 at Green Bay. NOTE: Primetime Preshow will also stream live to authenticated NBC Sports Chicago subscribers via NBCSportsChicago.com and the “MyTeams by NBC Sports” app.
WEEKLY BEARS/NFL PROGRAMMING…
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY – Now in its third decade on television, Pro Football Weekly is a half-hour program hosted by NBC Sports Chicago’s Pat Boyle (@BoyleNBCS) and features an expert panel led by Bears legend/Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Hampton, NFL expert/former Bears head coach Dave Wannstedt and PFW founder Hub Arkush. The program’s in-depth preview analysis and unique format make the show a preferred vehicle for football fans desiring the most thorough coverage of the NFL. This hard-hitting program features the latest NFL news reports, opinions and insider information, along with game-by-game predictions. New episodes of Pro Football Weekly debut Friday afternoons at 5:00 PM or 6:00 PM (contingent upon the network’s live pro event schedule). Weekly re-airs can be seen Saturday afternoons/evenings at varied times, along with every Sunday morning at 10:00 AM.
EXPANDED DIGITAL/AUDIO COVERAGE…
NFL
NBCSPORTSCHICAGO.COM/”MyTeams by NBC Sports” APP – NBC Sports Chicago’s dedicated Bears section – NBCSportsChicago.com/Bears AND the “MyTeams by NBC Sports” app will deliver comprehensive 24/7 Bears and NFL coverage all season long featuring original commentary, video interviews, feature reports, along with the latest Bears news and daily insight from NBC Sports Chicago’s roster of in-house Bears/NFL experts highlighted by in-depth reporting from Bears “Insider” JJ Stankevitz, Bears reporter Cam Ellis and veteran Bears reporter/podcast host Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge). In addition, fans can look forward to the following highlights this season:
- “The Warm Up” – Fifteen minutes prior to every Bears game this season, host David Kaplan, along with analysts Lance Briggs & Alex Brown, will hold a special Facebook Live segment on NBC Sports Chicago’s official Facebook page - Facebook.com/NBCSChicago - offering a game day preview featuring their expert commentary and predictions, plus - Bears fans will have also an opportunity to have their questions answered by submitting their game day inquiries via the “comments” section on the live stream.
- “Second Half Sidecast” – At varied points during the second half of every Bears game this season, fans will also be able to interact with the Football Aftershow crew via Facebook Live (Facebook.com/NBCSChicago) as they watch and react to the on-field plays as they unfold. In addition, the “Second Half Sidecast” will also feature more fan interaction as fans can post their thoughts and ask their questions to Briggs, Brown, and Kreutz.
- Under Center PODCAST presented by St. Xavier University: Throughout the Bears/NFL season, fans can look forward to even more entertaining and informative episodes of the popular “Under Center” PODCAST featuring NBC Sports Chicago’s roster of football experts and special guests. Fans can download all of NBC Sports Chicago’s podcasts at NBCSportsChicago.com/podcasts and simply subscribe to them via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. The podcasts can be played on any mobile device, laptop, or desktop computer.
- Twitter – @NBCSBears is THE Twitter source for up-to-the-second Bears in-game updates, including reactions to the action via the Football Aftershow crew, along with breaking news, interactive questions, polls, and much more 24/7.
- In addition, a multitude of in-house “Sights & Sounds” moments, along with game day facts & metrics, and score updates will be provided throughout the season on Instagram and Instagram Live (@NBCSChicago).
NBC Sports Chicago, a partnership between the Chicago Blackhawks (NHL), Chicago Bulls (NBA), Chicago White Sox (MLB) and the NBC Sports Group, features over 275 live pro games in high definition each year. In addition, NBC Sports Chicago delivers extensive pre/post-game coverage for its core pro team partners, as well as Chicago Bears and Chicago Cubs multi-platform coverage, plus - massive cross-platform coverage provided by the network’s growing digital platform, NBCSportsChicago.com, the “MyTeams by NBC Sports” app, and its variety of fan-focused social media outlets. Fans can follow the network on Twitter via @NBCSChicago.
NBC Sports Regional Networks is NBC Sports Group’s portfolio of nine regional networks that delivers more than 2,200 live sporting events and original content to more than 35 million homes. Aligned within Eastern and Western Divisions, the NBC Sports Regional Networks are: NBC Sports Boston, NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBC Sports Philadelphia +, NBC Sports Washington, NBC Sports Washington + and SNY; and NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports California, NBC Sports Chicago/NBC Sports Chicago+, and NBC Sports Northwest. For more information on NBC Sports Group properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios, headshots and logos, please visit www.NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com.